CHAPTER IV

Federigo Count of Urbino 61

1422. June 7. The mystery and misstatements regarding his birth 61

1424. Dec. 22. Set at rest by his legitimation 62

" The Brancaleoni of Mercatello 63

1430. Their heiress Gentile betrothed to Count Federigo 64

" The state of Italy at this time 64

" Rome and the Papacy 65

" Florence and Central Italy 66

" Lombardy and Venice 67

1433. Federigo sent to Venice as a hostage 68

1434. Made a companion of the Hose 68

" Becomes a pupil of Vittorino da Feltre at Mantua 69

" Character and system of Vittorino 70

1433. Federigo knighted by the Emperor 71

1437. Dec. 2. His marriage 72

" Nicolò Piccinino successor of Braccio di Montone 72

1438. Federigo serves under him in Lombardy 74

1439. Next, under his brother-in-law Guidaccio Manfredi, Lord of Faenza 74

" A midnight alarm 74

" The Malatesta hereditary rivals of the Montefeltri 75

" Sigismondo Pandolfo Lord of Rimini opposed by Federigo 75

1440. June 29. The battle of Anghiari 77

1442. Federigo recovers Montelocco 77

1441. Description of S. Leo 78

" Federigo takes it 80

" Position of Francesco Sforza 80

" Pedigree of the Sforza family 80

1443. Federigo after his father's death rejoins Piccinino 81

" Visits Naples with him 81

" Nov. 8. Sforza defeats Piccinino at Monteluro 82

" Sanzi's description of that battle 82

" Federigo invested with Mercatello 83

1444. He protects Galeazzo Malatesta's seigneury of Pesaro 83

1445. Feb. 21. Is challenged by Sigismondo Malatesta of Rimini 83